Carrasco

Orioles pitcher Willis Roberts spoke yesterday of ending his slump without needing to make any adjustments. Manager Mike Hargrove, lending his support, said Roberts would benefit from throwing more innings rather than having the club shy away from using him. That becomes a little more difficult with Roberts on the disabled list. The Orioles announced the roster move about an hour before their game against the Philadelphia Phillies, revealing that Roberts had a sprained ligament in his right elbow.

The 2014 Civil Rights Game will be played between the Houston Astros and the Orioles at Minute Maid Park on May 30, Major League Baseball announced Monday. The Civil Rights Game events pay tribute to those who fought on and off the field for equal rights for all Americans. Maya Angelou , Berry Gordy and Jim Brown will be honored at the MLB Beacon Awards Luncheon during the game. Horse racing Carrasco winless in first journeyman outing Victor Carrasco rode as a journeyman for the first time Monday at Laurel Park, going winless with six mounts but finishing in the money three times.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The final play before the All-Star break was a broken-bat, in-between bouncer that left the entire Orioles infield discombobulated and helpless as the Oakland Athletics scored the winning run. In other words, it was a perfectly fitting end to the first half. With the tension of a scoreless, ninth-inning tie permeating Network Associates Coliseum, Orioles reliever Hector Carrasco made a costly, split-second decision on a little tapper from Ramon Hernandez, and Mark Ellis scored from third, giving Oakland a 1-0 victory.

Victor Carrasco became the 10th Maryland-based rider to earn the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice Saturday night. He received 172 first-place votes. Edgard Zayas was second with 18, followed by the third finalist, Manuel Franco, with 13. The 21-year-old ended the year as the leading apprentice in North America in both wins (215) and earnings ($4,357,715). From Nov. 13 through Dec. 31, he rode at least one winner in 24 of the 28 live racing days at Laurel Park, including 16 multiple-win afternoons.

Professor David Carrasco of Harvard University will present the 2002 Honors Program Lecture at 8 p.m. Tuesday in McDaniel Lounge at Western Maryland College. The lecture, "Education for Liberation: God, Cornel West and Latinos at Harvard University," is free. Carrasco, a 1967 graduate of Western Maryland College, will discuss the educational vision of African-American philosopher of religion Cornel West, also a Harvard professor. He also will address the recent confrontation between West and Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers.

Enola Gay Carrasco's first Christmas in her new home won't be the same without Rudolph.The 5-foot-tall red-nosed reindeer was stolen from the front porch of her bungalow on Overbrook Road in Idlewylde yesterday morning.It had been Rudolph's first weekend on the job. Mrs. Carrasco bought the solid wood decoration just weeks earlier at a %J Timonium crafts fair.The reindeer rustler also walked off with a lighted Santa flag and an extension cord."We woke up and I was crying and my 9-year-old daughter Angela was crying," said Mrs. Carrasco, a former Rosedale resident.

Red Sox: Jose Offerman drew his 10th walk in 17 plate appearances. Twins: Reliever Hector Carrasco pitched 4 1/3 innings of hitless ball. Yankees: There was a moment of silence before the game for former New York reliever Graeme Lloyd's wife, Cindy, who died last week. Yogi Berra threw out the first pitch.

Not to be overlooked in the excitement of Sunday's brawl between the White Sox and the Royals over a Chicago pitcher hitting Kansas City's Miguel Olivo and subsequent ejections that included excitable White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was Guillen's tacit admission that he orders his pitchers to throw at batters. As others have already noted, it's hardly a secret that major league managers order retaliation, but leave it to Guillen to admit it. He was trying to make the point that he did not order pitcher D.J. Carrasco to hit Olivo by pointing out it was the wrong time (bases were loaded)

SEATTLE - With injuries to Brian Roberts and B.J. Surhoff leaving their bench woefully short, the Orioles made a roster move after last night's game, sending Rick Bauer to Triple-A Ottawa to make room for left-handed hitter Jack Cust. The Orioles dropped to 11 pitchers, figuring the bullpen is well rested after last night's complete game by Sidney Ponson against the Seattle Mariners. Cust was batting .283 with eight home runs and 46 RBIs for Ottawa. This will be his second regular-season stint with the Orioles since they acquired him from the Colorado Rockies for Chris Richard on March 11. Roberts was hoping his back would feel better yesterday, but it didn't, so the Orioles sent him to see Mariners orthopedist Larry Pedegana.

Horse racing Carrasco, Dance to Bristol are finalists for Eclipse Awards Victor Carrasco was named a finalist for outstanding apprentice jockey when the 2013 Eclipse Awards nominees were announced Wednesday. Dance to Bristol, based at the Bowie Training Center, is a finalist in the female sprinter category. Winners will be announced Jan. 18. Carrasco led apprentice riders in victories (215) and earnings ($4,357,715) last year. Edgard Zayas (183 wins and $3,512,381 as an apprentice)

The leading rider at the Pimlico Race Course spring meeting will not be decided until the last day, and Sheldon Russell, who sits atop the standings, will not even be at the track at the end of today's card to see whether he keeps the top spot. After 35 live racing days, Russell has 28 victories, three more than Xavier Perez. Apprentice Victor Carrasco rode three winners Friday to move into third place with 24 victories. "I have ridden some good horses this meet and am fortunate to be in the position to be ahead with one day to go," said Russell, who was limited to four mounts Friday because rain forced four races off the turf.

Not to be overlooked in the excitement of Sunday's brawl between the White Sox and the Royals over a Chicago pitcher hitting Kansas City's Miguel Olivo and subsequent ejections that included excitable White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was Guillen's tacit admission that he orders his pitchers to throw at batters. As others have already noted, it's hardly a secret that major league managers order retaliation, but leave it to Guillen to admit it. He was trying to make the point that he did not order pitcher D.J. Carrasco to hit Olivo by pointing out it was the wrong time (bases were loaded)

After missing all three games against the Kansas City Royals, Sammy Sosa remained out of the Orioles' lineup last night, and the club still doesn't know when he'll return. Sosa made another visit yesterday to the team's podiatrist, Dr. Jay LeBow, who is treating an abscess on the bottom of the outfielder's left foot. "It's improving, but the doctors keep working on it, trying to see what's causing it," head trainer Richie Bancells said. Sosa played in the Orioles' first 27 games before becoming a late scratch Friday night.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The final play before the All-Star break was a broken-bat, in-between bouncer that left the entire Orioles infield discombobulated and helpless as the Oakland Athletics scored the winning run. In other words, it was a perfectly fitting end to the first half. With the tension of a scoreless, ninth-inning tie permeating Network Associates Coliseum, Orioles reliever Hector Carrasco made a costly, split-second decision on a little tapper from Ramon Hernandez, and Mark Ellis scored from third, giving Oakland a 1-0 victory.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Melvin Mora left for his first All-Star Game yesterday without the mantle he has been carrying for the past six weeks as the American League's leading hitter. Mora went 0-for-4 in the Orioles' 1-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics, dropping his average to .349. Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki passed Mora for the lead, going 3-for-4 to raise his average to .352. The Orioles haven't had a batting leader at the All-Star break since Cal Ripken was batting .348 in 1991. The best mark for an Oriole at the break was Roberto Alomar at .352 in 1996.

TAMPA, Fla. -- This is the way a future closer should develop. With a manager experienced at handling young pitchers. With a pitching coach who can give him extra attention. With a team that can afford him time to grow.Like so many others with the Orioles last season, Armando Benitez was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Club officials projected him as the closer by June, when in fact he still belonged in the minor leagues.Now, with Davey Johnson as manager and Pat Dobson as pitching coach, his development can begin in earnest.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Melvin Mora left for his first All-Star Game yesterday without the mantle he has been carrying for the past six weeks as the American League's leading hitter. Mora went 0-for-4 in the Orioles' 1-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics, dropping his average to .349. Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki passed Mora for the lead, going 3-for-4 to raise his average to .352. The Orioles haven't had a batting leader at the All-Star break since Cal Ripken was batting .348 in 1991. The best mark for an Oriole at the break was Roberto Alomar at .352 in 1996.

SEATTLE - With injuries to Brian Roberts and B.J. Surhoff leaving their bench woefully short, the Orioles made a roster move after last night's game, sending Rick Bauer to Triple-A Ottawa to make room for left-handed hitter Jack Cust. The Orioles dropped to 11 pitchers, figuring the bullpen is well rested after last night's complete game by Sidney Ponson against the Seattle Mariners. Cust was batting .283 with eight home runs and 46 RBIs for Ottawa. This will be his second regular-season stint with the Orioles since they acquired him from the Colorado Rockies for Chris Richard on March 11. Roberts was hoping his back would feel better yesterday, but it didn't, so the Orioles sent him to see Mariners orthopedist Larry Pedegana.